Beyond the Darkness
by cthulu1
Summary: Just a decently long oneshot about a different take on what happened after the Mandalorian War and led to the Jedi Civil War. Does contain adult content, so if you are under eighteen don't read. Or are offended by adult content.


Revan sighed with relief as she stepped out of the ship, and into the temple on Coruscant. She looked up at the towering structure, and just nodded. As she did so, Alek rolled out, he had been paralyzed from the waist down in the final battle. Taking a blow for Revan, so that she could get to Mandalore.

As she looked at the group of Jedi before her, a thought crossed her mind. 'These people won't even recognize me if I take off this mask. I'm no longer a person to them. I'm just a symbol. If I show my face... there won't be recognition of me as Revan. They'll see me as just an average Jedi.'

Alek laughed, and said, "I know what you're thinking, Revan. Don't worry about it. Don't you want to be treated like you're normal?"

"Yeah, but people will constantly be asking me my name." Revan replied, her voice altered by the mask. "It'll be a pain in the ass."

"Just let them get to know you as someone beyond the Revan." Alek said.

"Easier said than done." she replied, walking out of the hangar, into the temple proper. Inside a pair of Jedi Knights said, "Knight Revan, the Council would like us to welcome you back to the Jedi Temple."

Revan nodded, and asked, "What is it that they want from me?"  
"Your presence has been requested in the main hall." he said.

"Fair enough." Revan said, before turning to Alek and saying, "Wait in the ship. I'll let you know if it's safe."  
He nodded, and said, "Do you want any backup?"  
"If Meetra is in the crowd that the Council has inevitably sent to observe the trial, she'll help." Revan replied, as she walked through the temple.

He laughed, "I don't know. She was pretty upset last time you saw her."

"Time heals all wounds." Revan stated, following the other Jedi. When she entered the main hall of the temple, she was surrounded by darkness. Instincts forged in Jedi training and tempered through three long years of war kicked in, and her twin blades were in her hands immediately. She reached out with the Force to see around her, and ignited the weapons. As the light filled the room, she found it empty. She reached out with the Force, and found a few people waiting in the room by the lights.

She said, "Turn on the lights."

They did not comply, so Revan repeated herself. As again there was no response, she said, "As a Jedi Knight and supreme commander of the Republic forces against the now defeated mandalorian threat, I order you to turn on the lights. If you do not comply or respond I will be forced to believe you are hostiles and take appropriate action to ensure that you are no longer a threat."

Again there was no response, so Revan said, "This is your final warning. If you do not either identify yourselves or activate the lights, I will have no choice but to believe that this is an ambush, and terminate you as protocol would demand."

"We come in peace." one said, her voice timid.

"Then why did you not respond at first?" Revan asked, suspicion clear in her tone.

"We were told to be quiet by the Council."  
"Do you know why?"  
"No. We're just supposed to wait until the Council shows up to turn on the lights."  
Revan laughed, and said, "I suppose they thought it was a clever plan. Where are they now?"  
"They should be here soon." the woman said.

Revan sighed, and said, "Could you please turn the lights on? I can't see anything right now. I don't like not fully knowing the environment I'm in."

"Orders are orders." the woman replied, her timidity starting to fade.

"Sometimes the orders you receive shouldn't be followed." Revan replied.

"I'd rather not have to think about the consequences of defying the Council."

"You kill a lot of bad people, and get declared a savior of the Republic. Well, at least in my experience." Revan said, as she put her sabers on her belt, and took the mask off, feeling a bit of relief at finally letting her long, blue hair down. "But, seriously, unless you guys are going to try and fuck me up, turn the lights on so this can be a bit more casual, and a lot less tense."

"Uhm..." the woman said, her voice trailing off as the doors opened, and the lights activated. A massive number of Jedi poured into the room, led by the Council. The entire room was filled with tables, and the Jedi quickly sat down, in what seemed to be pre-determined seats.  
The Council stepped onto a basic podium, and Nomi said, "We are here to honor a hero of the Jedi Order. Who put her life in harms way to protect the Republic."

Revan laughed, and said, "That wasn't how you reacted when I first went out to fight. I thought you were all going to die of aneurisms. You were so adamantly opposed to Jedi going to war back then. I remember you telling me that if I went to fight, I would never again be welcome here. So why the sudden change of tone? Just because it turns out that I actually knew what I was doing? Is it because we took the proper measures to keep ourselves from becoming mass murdering Sith like Exar Kun?"

Vrook said, "As brash and disrespectful as ever."

"Well, Vrook,our last conversation ended with you saying that the next time we met you'd cut me off from the Force and leave me to rot in the deepest, darkest hole you could find.. That really doesn't earn my respect." Revan said, silently hoping he would attack her.

The older Jedi looked upset for a moment, but then before he could react, Nomi said, "Revan, your actions in the war have shown the other members of the Council that they were wrong. So, they are acting as such."

Revan nodded, and said, "I guess that makes sense. Though you could have given me a bit of warning, so that I wouldn't assume it was a trap, since I left here on such horrible terms with most of them."  
"The task of keeping Coruscant from either panic or riots has been consuming all of my time." Nomi said.

"Fair enough." Revan replied, before looking around, and saying, "But surely this took a while to set up. Some of that time couldn't have been spent to inform me that the Council no longer wanted my head on a gilded platter?"  
"This was not set up solely to welcome back the Jedi who fought in the war. It was put together to host an event which was to show the Council's support of the Republic war effort. To calm the worries of the people."  
Revan nodded, and said, "I see. So, this is the Council using something they had already set up to cover their asses?"  
"Basically." Meetra said, as she walked up to Revan, pushing Alek's wheelchair in.

Revan looked at her, and said, "How did you know where he was?"

"I know you, Rev." Meetra replied with a laugh, "You wouldn't have brought a cripple in here until you knew it wasn't a trap. Which you couldn't have since you cut all contact with the people who stayed behind, or returned before the end."  
Revan nodded, and said, "At least the Council didn't decide that you were a fallen lunatic when you came back. Having them actually on our side would have been useful during the early days of the war."  
"Yeah."

"So, set up a little celebration. Where's everyone else who was coming back from the war, why aren't they in here?"  
"You aren't the first ones to arrive?" Meetra asked.

"We were the last to leave. First in, last out. And our ship wasn't anything extraordinarily fast."

"That doesn't sound right. You're the first ones we've heard about."  
"That you've heard about..." Revan said, walking towards the Council, rage clear in her voice and her eyes.

"Revan, what are you doing?" Meetra asked.

"What I must." she said, walking up to Vrook, and slamming his face into a wall. "WHERE ARE THEY OLD MAN!?" she screamed, her blade pointed at the Master's throat.

"I did nothing to them!" he said, struggling against Revan's grip.

"Don't lie." She growled, pushing her weapon a bit closer to him.

"I did nothing to your comrades. They were Jedi, not Fallen Jedi."

"I can sense the deception dripping from your words. Tell the truth, Vrook."

"I am." he whimpered, terror clear in his voice.

Revan slammed him into the ground, and said, "I grow tired of your lies. Tell me the truth, or suffer the same fate as Mandalore."

Everyone in the room stood still, in shock. Then Revan turned to them, and said, "Wouldn't you do the same to help those who saved your life more times than you can count?"  
Then, Nomi asked, "Master Vrook. Where are the others who returned? Why is Revan the first anyone has heard about? What have you done?"

"Nothing."

Revan threw Vrook into the center of the room, and lifted him into the air with the Force. He struggled against her, but it was futile. She was too strong for him. He growled, "Let me go!"  
"The only way you're getting out of here alive is if you tell me where they are." Revan growled, lightning starting to crackle at her fingertips.

"Revan, that is not the Jedi method of interrogation." Nomi said.  
"I know what I'm doing." she replied, as she brought her blade closer to Vrook once more. "Tell me where they are! What have you done to them, Vrook?"  
"Nothing. You are mad!" he said.

"No, I'm pissed." Revan replied, as she brought her blade down to Vrook's belt. "And I know that the one thing you truly fear is being seen as anything other than a proper Jedi. So, do yourself a favor, and speak."

"The Order does not condone torture!" Nomi shouted.

"Does it condone betraying your fellow Jedi? Doing the Force knows what to them, and then lying about it? Sometimes you have to bend the rules in order to save as many lives as possible."

Vrook looked at her with terror, then said, "Very well. You have won. I and my... compatriots took them out of their ships. We lead them here, where we used the cover of darkness to knock them out. From there, we took them to the sub-prison. Where they are to remain until the last of the rogues have been captured. Once that is done, you will all be sent to my Master."  
"Venerus..." Revan growled, as suddenly three Dark Jedi appeared in the room, and were about to kill three Padawans. Revan leaped at them, and focused the Force around her into three concentrated pulses. As they connected with the Sith attackers, the corrupt Force users were sent flying.

After they landed, they stumbled for a moment, before turning to Revan. They charged, red sabers glowing brightly. As their blades came down, Revan slid under a table to dodge the strike. As they struck at it, she sent out another pulse which shattered the table into a fine dust, which obscured her foes' vision.

They swung their blades wildly, never finding their mark who grabbed one and ran him through with her saber. Then, as the other two vanished and reappeared above her, she dashed to side, and flipped backwards so she was above them. As they slammed their blades into the ground where she had been, she dropped her sabers, the weapons cleanly impaling both Sith. They crumbled lifeless to the ground, and as Revan recovered her sabers, she turned towards Vrook. He stepped backwards, his fear so great that even the most untrained apprentice could easily sense it. Revan marched slowly towards him, the look in her eyes one of pure wrath.  
Vrook continued to stumble away from her, but unable to move faster than a slow walk backwards, for fear of what Revan would do if he turned and ran. Then, as he reached a wall, Revan lifted him into the air, and threw both of her weapons into him. One piercing his heart, the other his neck. The glowing weapons pinned the fallen Jedi to the wall for a moment, before Revan pulled them out.

Turning around, she shouted, "VENERUS! I know you can hear me! Your men are dead! Now come out and fight me yourself. Quit being a coward who has his minions fight for him! I'll kill every last one of them if you keep sending them, and then I'll kill you!"  
He laughed, and said, "Do you really think you can destroy me?" as he appeared in the center of the room. "Ante primis patres, ego deum."

"Very funny." Revan said, turning to face him. While she approached him, he laughed, and said,

"You would have made a valuable asset. But now I see that you are too much trouble to be worth it." as a single red blade appeared in his hand.

He walked towards Revan when a blade sprouted out of his skull. A single yellow glow extended from it, and a Padawan, a young woman, looked surprised and horrified at what she had done.  
Revan, on the other hand, nodded, and said, "Thanks." before she severed Venerus's head and cleaved it in two. Turning to what remained of his body, she brought down a pillar of lightning from above. As it reached the former Dark Lord's corpse.

When everyone looked at her, clearly disgusted by what she had done, Revan declared, "This man was the Dark Lord of the Sith. He was a master of arts that no Jedi even knows exist. You have to be certain."

"Well..." Nomi said, "I think it is safe to say that now is not the best time for this. We need to free those captured Jedi."

"Indeed." Revan replied, heading out of the room, towards the elevator.

-=0=-

Three days later, she walked into the heart of the temple, to see thousands of Jedi talking. She walked through it, looking for one in particular. She continued to walk through the room, quickly responding to the greetings of other Jedi. Then, she found the one she was looking for. The Padawan who had stabbed Venerus. She said, "Hi."

The Padawan jumped, and said, "Hi." her voice melancholic.

"Is something wrong?" Revan asked.

"What I did the other day... it probably killed someone. I probably killed someone. I know he was evil, but I still feel horrible."

Revan placed a hand on her shoulder, and said, "You don't need to. You may have saved my life. I'm not sure I could have won a fair fight with him. You did something that you should be proud of. You took action whien others stood by and watched."

"Thanks." she said, with a small smile.

"Any time. Why do you feel so bad about killing him?"  
"I took the life of another human being." she said as if it was obvious.

"You can't let it eat you out from the inside. Only let people do that, and from the outside." Revan said with a smirk.

"What?" the Padawan asked, confusion clear in her voice.

"It was a very inappropriate joke. That I'm surprised you didn't get."  
"That one's a bit more innocent than her looks would tell you." Meetra said, as she walked past, towards a table piled high with food.

"What?" she asked.

"Meetra was saying that you look old enough to not be that innocent." Revan said, "Don't let it bother you."  
"How do I not let it eat me out?"  
"I've only ever seen two ways. Either be a sociopath who enjoys it, or two, convince yourself it was necessary. That the galaxy is a better place if you hadn't killed that person. Which it is. And, it might have lost me, and I like to think that I'm a pretty decent person. So that is not only making the galaxy a better place, but also making it not get slightly more shit."  
The woman nodded, and said, "Thanks. You definitely seem like a good person."

"I don't know." Revan said, with a grin, "That might be going a bit far. But, seriously, thanks for taking him out like that. It was amazing to see him fall to the ground, and a beautiful woman standing behind him."  
"Beautiful?" the woman said, surprise in her voice.

"Too flirty?" Revan asked, laughing. "I'm just joking. But you definitely are very attractive. Just an observation. Anyways, we've been talking for like... ten minutes and we still haven't introduced ourselves. My name's Revan."

"Everyone knows who you are." the woman said, "I'm Bastila.'

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bas. It okay if I call you Bas? I tend to give people who save my life nicknames."

Bastila laughed, and said, "I guess. You're much less... intimidating than I thought you would be."

"Geez, just because you eradicate a few mandalorian camps without any help and then scare a couple Republic Admirals into shitting their pants everyone thinks you're the scariest motherfucker since Exar Kun."

"How many is a few?"  
"No fewer than seven. No more than thirty."

"That is... a lot of people you've killed."  
"First one they killed my then-girlfriend and were going to take a bunch of natives of the world and sell them as slaves."  
"It's forbidden for Jedi to have that kind of relationship! Why would you defy the rules of the Order?"  
"Well... at the time I thought I was already basically exiled from the Jedi, so that wasn't a problem. And... if you saw this soldier, you'd have understood why I was with her. Had the body of a goddess."  
"A what?"  
"Ancient, ancient mythology. Supernatural entities. Immortal. Ton of power. And fucking hot." Revan said.

"Uhm... okay." Bastila said, a bit surprised by Revan's chosen topic. "I didn't realize that you were so openly not following a major rule of the Jedi Order."

"I didn't use to be. I was really stuck up. And freaking paranoid that there were mandalorians around every corner. Have you ever seen someone flip a table and use it as cover before they go around a corner when they aren't in a warzone?"  
"No."

"I used to do that every time I went around a corner."

"That seems... excessive."  
"Yeah, I figured that out after a year. Though it took me my entire second year here to completely quit doing it. And the third year I had to break the habit of taking cover behind most walls."

Bastila laughed, and said, "So, you were the crazy one?"  
"Yeah, pretty much."

"So, you went from crazy Jedi who thought everyone was out to get her to savior of the galaxy. That's a pretty big shift."  
"I know." Revan said, as she looked at all the Jedi in the room, and said, "A lot of the people I went to fight with, at first they thought I was crazy when I said we had to defy the Council in order to save both the Republic and the Jedi. They laughed at me, told me I was just being nuts again. Only Alek and Meetra stood with me.

"Everyone else thought we were going to get ourselves killed. But then the reports of our success started coming back to the Core Worlds. Once they saw that we were actually starting to turn the tide of a few battles, people saw that we weren't crazy. The battles we fought in, were victories for the Republic. Most of the ones we weren't involved in the Republic was defeated.

"That got people's attention. People started following. Calling themselves Revanchists. Their way of saying they were loyal to me. Suddenly, true victory was possible. There were still worlds we had to sacrifice to avoid spreading ourselves too thin, but in the end, the mandalorians were beaten." Revan said.

"It must have been tough, to have everyone think you were crazy."

"I actually liked it. Kept most people away." Revan said. "I was not what you would call... social at first."

"Revan, catch!" Meetra shouted, as she threw something at Revan. The Knight reached out to catch it, but it ended up going off course, and hitting Bastila in the face. As it splattered on the Padawan, Revan shook her head, and said,

"You really need to work on your throwing accuracy, Meetra!"

"True." she replied. "But hey, at least I didn't hit you in the face."  
"I'm good enough to not get hit in the face by some pastry." Revan said, as she turned to Bastila, and said, "Yeah... sorry about that. Meetra's never been able to throw anything straight."

Bastila wiped it off her face, and said, "It's okay. I should probably go clean myself off."  
"That would probably be a good idea." Revan said, "Sorry again."

"It's not like I'm going to die from getting a little dirty." Bastila said, as she walked towards the restroom.

"Talk to you later, I guess." Revan said, as she waved at the Padawan.

Then, Meetra walked up, and said, "She's definitely cute. You going to try and hit that?"  
"I didn't realize they let you join a frat." Revan replied.

"Ouch." Meetra replied. "Low blow."  
"I barely even know Bastila." Revan said, "Why would I want to sleep with someone I don't know?"  
"You banged that Brooke Theirin chick, didn't you?"  
"After I got to know her."

"Wow, so it wasn't just because those tits were the literal perfect size?"  
"That definitely helped. But it wasn't the only factor." Revan replied, as she shook her head. "Maybe I'll be interested in Bastila after I get to know her a bit better. I was just talking to her because I was curious as to what it was about her that made so she was the only one to attack Venerus."

"She was in a way better position to attack him than I was." Meetra said.  
"I know. You were on the other side of the room." Revan said. "But, there were others with just as good a position who didn't act."  
"She's got guts, apparently." Meetra said.

"Yeah." Revan agreed. "And she is gorgeous."  
"Don't do anything that I would."

"Don't worry, I won't bang a pair of twi'lek dancers." Revan said.

"That only happened five times." Meetra replied.

"Only five times. That's more than I've gotten laid in my entire life."  
"Just because your girlfriend died." Meetra replied.  
"Yeah. And thanks for bringing up a painful memory."

"Sorry." she replied, scratching her head.

-=0=-

As Bastila finished cleaning up, she thought, 'Force. Revan, the Revan talked to me. Treated me like an equal. She was so friendly. And she thinks I'm beautiful. I mean, why she could find anything worthwhile in me, I don't know. I mean, the only notable thing I've done was done on an impulse, and made me feel awful afterwards.

'But who cares. She seems to like me. At least in a friendly manner. And, she was very open about being into other girls. Maybe my little crush on her won't end up just being some childish fantasy after all. That would be amazing.' before heading out of the room.

-=0=-

Over the next few months, Revan and Bastila continued to talk and get to know each. Over time, they became good friends, and Meetra started cracking jokes about how they made a cute couple. Revan would just shake her head while Bastila blushed a dark crimson.

As Bastila got to know Revan better, she seemed to become more confident around others. As if someone had finally shown her that she had some value. That she wasn't just a meaningless peon who could never do anything right.

They would talk late into the night, staring out at the stars. Revan would point at certain ones, describing worlds that she had fought to protect. Worlds she had liberated. She would describe the people she'd met. The people she'd freed. And the few she had failed to save.

She would eventually talk about how she had lost her parents to a mandalorian raid. Talk of how the aftermath of that day still haunted her. How she couldn't stop thinking that if she had been stronger back then, her life would have been different. More normal.

Bastila in turn talked about her life. Her family. The difficulties she had with keeping calm, and how it was keeping her from advancing to Jedi Knight. She didn't like it, but she also understood why it was.

Revan laughed at that, and said, "You should be allowed to feel, so long as it doesn't control you."

Bastila didn't respond to that, but just nodded slightly. As if she was afraid to agree with Revan.

One night, Revan walked into her room, and was greeted by Meetra. Who said, "Hey, Rev."

"Hi, Meetra."

"So, what's up?"  
"Not much. Life's been pretty boring since the war ended and Venerus was killed. It's nice."

"Sooooo... how's Bastila look naked? She still smoking hot?"  
"Don't know." Revan said, "I haven't slept with her."

"Still?"  
"Yes. But on what I'm sure you'll consider a positive note, that is a side goal now."  
"Only a side goal?"  
"Yeah... I kinda fell in love with her..." Revan said, sheepishly scratching the back of her head.

Meetra sighed, and said, "Only you could end up doing that."  
"I know, I know." Revan sighed, "Gimme a break."  
"Will do." Meetra replied, "Good for you. Did I tell you that I'm thinking of asking my girlfriend to marry me?"  
"No. You didn't."

"Well... I'm not sure. I mean, I love her and all. But... I'm worried that it'll ruin a good thing."  
"I wouldn't." Revan said. "If you really love her, go ahead with it. I mean... you've been seeing her for a long time."  
"Thanks for the advice. So, what's your plan to get the lady who you're so enamored with?"  
"None of your damn business."  
"Geez, grouchy much?"  
"Don't you have that politician you and your girlfriend were banging to harass?"  
"We dumped her. She started wanting to do some really weird shit."

Revan nodded, and said, "That sounds like a topic of discussion I don't want to go down."

"Yeah. Let's just say she's in a dark hole now."

"You killed her?"  
"It was really weird."

"Still, you said that I was going too far near the end war."  
"You blew up a mandalorian supply planet. Just... blew it up. There was nothing left of it. Not even a freaking single celled organism could have survived what you had done."  
"It was the key mandalorian supply depot. If we didn't completely wipe it off the map the war would still be going on."

Meetra said, "Still... there were a lot of enemy non-military personnel."

"It was a decision I went over day and night for a week, Meetra. We were losing a lot of people, and the longer the war went on the more of ours would be lost."  
"It doesn't change the fact that it was an act of terror."  
"We did the calculations, ran the simulations. In the amount of time that it hastened the end of the war, it ended up saving more lives than we took by wiping out the planet. Lives of people who were on our side."  
Meetra sighed, and said, "I know. But it's still hard to stomach seeing an entire planet just disappear essentially overnight."  
"It was three days of constant orbital bombardment, to ensure Republic victory. Seeing that world disappear under the force of our fire broke the will of many mandalorian warriors. Yes, it was an act of terror, but it was because they had forced our hand. Attempts at negotiations had broken down, and the war was going to be long and bloody."  
"Alright." Meetra said, as Revan's datapad beeped, and took the younger Knight's attention. Meetra sighed and just walked away.

Revan looked up after a moment, and said, "Figures." as she opened her closet, and pulled out one of two dresses stored within. She looked at it for a moment, then stripped down, and put it on. As she looked in the mirror, she thought, 'Force. I can't believe I had to wear this for a few missions. People would think that the mandalorians aren't deceived just by a low cut dress with a short skirt.' as she fixed her hair and applied some makeup. Skills that she had hated honing in order to go under cover.

Then, as she walked to the window, she jumped out, and pressed a key on her datapad.

As she fell through the traffic, a speeder flew towards her, and she landed inside the passenger seat. She turned to the droid flying, it and said, "Good work, HK."

"Statement: anytime, Master." the droid replied, "Can we kill something now?"

"Not today, HK." she replied, "The war's over."  
The droid sighed, and said, "Inquiry. Will there be another war soon?"  
"Hopefully not." Revan replied.

"Why, Master? You seemed to enjoy the war before."  
"I didn't enjoy it. I endured it."

"Statement, in the heat of battle you had expressions of enjoyment."  
"Enjoyment at the idea that I was avenging my family. If there is another war, I won't have that. I won't have any personal reason to fight."

"Inquiry: what if the aggressors terminate the Padawan you have taken such a liking to?"  
"If they slaughter her, I'll tear them apart."

"Further inquiry: why have you taken such a disgusting affection to this organic? Would it not be preferable to kill things?"  
Revan laughed, and said, "Not always, HK. Not always."

"Why, Master?"  
"Because, there's more to life than death."  
"Statement: I was created to kill."

"I know, HK. But I gave you parameters to let you have more in your existence than just ending organic lives."

"I enjoy terminating meatbags."  
"Got it. I made you so that you did. I also programmed into you an understanding that there's a time and a place for everything."

"Confused Statement: you removed that code when you said the mandalorians had crossed a line, and had to be eradicated immediately. You said that all constraint had to go."

Revan facepalmed, and said, "Oh right. I just disabled that programming, didn't remove it. I'll have to reactivate it."

"Supplication: please don't."  
"I already put in the code where you can't call Bas a meatbag, what's so bad about reactivating this?"

"Statement: such a limiter would change my personality. Such changes are painful."

"Then promise that you'll exercise restraint yourself. I don't want to hear that you went on a killing spree, we clear?"

"Resigned Statement: Yes, Master."  
"That's better." Revan said, as the car landed, "Now get out of sight. You'll make Bastila freak out."

"Understood." the droid replied, as it moved out of the vehicle, and walked away.

Five minutes later, Bastila walked up in a long blue dress that accented her curves, and said, "Hi, Rev. How do I look?"  
"Incredible, Bas." Revan said as she got out of the speeder, and opened a door for Bastila to get in. Seeing Revan's dress, the Padawan's eyes bulged, and said,

"That's incredibly revealing."  
"It's the less revealing dress I own." Revan explained. "Only two I own were gotten on Republic credits for undercover missions. Turns out mandalorians have a bit of difficulty detecting a Jedi when she's in a short skirt and showing off a ton of cleavage."

Bastila laughed, and said, "I could see how men would have difficulty noticing that detail when you're wearing that."  
"It wasn't just the men."

"How many mandalorians hit on you?"  
"Easily a hundred. But the dress I had to wear to infiltrate a hutt mansion was even worse. Imagine this, but the bit on the bottom of my breasts is gone, there's no back above the top of my ass, the skirt goes half an inch below the bottom of my ass, and there's just a little bit of fabric down the middle of it connecting the top and bottom."  
Bastila blushed as the image crossed her mind, and said, "You wore something like that?"  
"I danced like a twi'lek in it." Revan said, laughing.

"Why?"  
"Had to get into that palace. Doing what I did was the only way to get in. So, after I got in, I changed into some proper attire, and intimidated the hutt into giving me what I needed."  
"Where'd you get the proper attire?"  
"Had to use the Force to bend light around it, making it effectively invisible. They looked right through it, while it floated behind me."

"You knocked the guard out to change?"  
"In a sense of the word. I cut her head off."

"That seems a bit... extreme."  
"Tried mindtrick, didn't work. So, she knew what I was. Couldn't let her live. Needed the element of surprise." Revan said, as she landed the speeder at a small restaurant.

"What's this place?"  
"My favorite restaurant on Coruscant. You can't even get in if you haven't fought on the front lines of a war, for the Republic. This is the place of heroes. And whoever they're taking as their plus one."

"This doesn't exactly seem like a very safe place to have a restaurant." Bastila said, looking around at the rough look of the area around them.

"When you know a restaurant is full of seasoned killers who won't hesitate to take you out when you threaten them and/or those around them, people tend to not cause trouble." Revan said, as she opened the door, and motioned for Bastila to go in.

After the Padawan went in, Revan said, "Tremaine, plus one." to the host.

He smiled, and said, "This way, General Revan." before walking deeper into the establishment with a pair of menus in hand.

After the two were sat down, Bastila asked, "Why did he call you General?"  
"That's a long story. Take a look at the menu first, and after you've figured out what you want, I'll explain it." Revan said, leaning back in her chair.

About fifteen minutes later they had ordered, and Revan said, "So, the reason he calls me General is because the first time I came here was for an official military function. The details of which I'm still forbidden to tell anyone because it was about a very black op.

"So, we came in here, and the host knew the crowd. They only came here with serious situations. He didn't understand why a woman with two lightsabres and in robes that obscured her entire appearance, save that she was a woman, was with them.

"He didn't seem to believe it when they told him I was a Jedi Knight who was working with them. So, they told him that I was a General who happened to have Jedi training. That did the trick, and ever since he's insisted on calling me General. Despite the number of times I've told him to just call me Knight."  
"Why didn't he believe that you were a Jedi?"  
"These fellows only showed up when they were discussing black ops, and needed a safe place for that. He didn't think a Jedi would support those kinds of missions."  
"Assassinations?"  
"I'm not really at liberty to say one way or the other."  
Bastila nodded, and said, "So, if you were a general why did you lead the attack on Mandalore's flagship?"  
"I was the only warrior we had who was definitely better than Mandalore. For our plan to work, we had to kill him, and I was the only one who definitely could."

"Did you ever find the mandalorian responsible for the deaths of your parents?"  
"Yeah. I killed him."

"Who was it?"  
Revan sighed, and said, "I'd rather not talk about it, Bas. Sorry, but... if I think about it too much, it still pisses me off that he evaded me for as long as he did."  
Bastila nodded, as the food showed up. They ate in silence for a while, then Bastila said, "How is it that you were able to get a high ranking position in the Republic fleet when you were in open defiance of the Jedi Council?"  
"It was easy. By the time that I went to them they were desperate enough to take all the help I could get. Then when I got a position of command it was because we had enough support that we outnumbered those who wanted to follow the Council's wishes.

"Basically, we were in a position where if it came down to it, we could have used the democratic systems in the Order to remove the Council if they tried anything against us. The Republic saw what a large force we were, and I had previously helped a Republic Fleet survive a battle that they would have otherwise been destroyed in.

"So, that was my in for command. The Republic was happy to have Jedi help, and while the Council didn't like it, they were forced to work with us. It could have gone better, with actual Council support, but it could have gone a lot worse."  
"Things definitely seem to have gone well for you since joining the Order." Bastila said.  
"Yeah. But something has me worried about the future. There's something that's still bugging me."

"What?"  
"I don't want to worry you about it. It's just something I came across a couple years before defying the Council."  
"What is it?"  
"Don't worry about it, Bas." Revan said, as she motioned for the waiter to come over.

"Alright." she said, "But please don't keep me out of the loop if it's something important."  
"I won't." Revan replied, as she turned to the waiter, and said, "What's the bill?"  
"Tonight's meal is on the house, General. Seeing how your influence helped save the Republic."  
"That isn't necessary." Revan replied.  
"The owner insists."  
"Very well." Revan replied, "The food was excellent, as always."

-=0=-  
"It is time to bring down this Republic." a voice said.

"What?" Alek said, his synthetic voice filled with confusion.

"Do you truly not remember me, Squinquargesimus?"  
"Who's talking?"  
"Your new master."  
"What are you talking about? I don't have a master."  
"You do now, Alek. You must follow me. I will lead you to that which you have always longed for. The recognition you have always deserved, but were denied because you were in Revan's shadow all along. Always second to her.

"Don't you think it's time that someone acknowledges your contributions to the war? How many lives your actions saved? How many mandalorian battle groups you defeated. Don't you think it's time that you're acknowledged as a hero too, instead of just Revan?"  
"Whoever, whatever, you are, it isn't going to work. I like staying out of the limelight. Especially now that my legs are useless."  
"Your legs, paralyzed for Revan. One who never would acknowledge you. Never understand your accomplishments. Why not take revenge on the one who left you in that chair?"  
"Because she's my friend."  
"Such loyalty. What has it gotten you? Trapped in a chair, unable to live your life like a normal person, all to protect someone who always leaves you in the shadows. Never being given your due."  
"You're starting to repeat yourself."  
"Because I fail to understand how you can accept such blatant abuse. Join me, and you will regain the use of your legs. Join me, and you will have everything. The woman you desire who continuously pushes you away in favor for other women, the recognition you have earned, and the power to prevent another war from happening again. The power to keep the imbeciles who rule now away from power."

-=0=-

Revan looked around the room, making sure it was empty. Then said, "Come on in."  
"Why did you check the room first?"  
"Old habit. Have to make sure that there aren't any assassins. After one close call, I had 47 start guarding my room, but today he's making sure Meetra doesn't do anything stupid."  
"Who's 47?"  
"My droid."  
"Is something wrong with him?"  
"He's a bit... violent."  
"How so?"  
"During the war, I needed a personal bodyguard that I knew I could trust. I had my droid which was initially a protocol droid to make communications with other species a bit easier. Just make so I didn't have to worry about remembering all the languages of the people I was communicating with.

"Then a couple of mandalorian assassins nearly killed me, and the situation had changed. I modified him into a hunter-killer droid, so that he'd take care of enemy assassins. Because what's better to handle how an enemy assassin thinks, than an assassin of your own?"  
"That makes sense." Bastila said, "Why not change him back afterwards?"  
"By then his personality had changed. Any attempts to revert him to his old self would have caused him immense pain. And, the odds were in favor of him going mad."  
"And the changes didn't have problems the first time?"  
"He was the one to suggest it when I was talking with Meetra about my need of a bodyguard that I could trust."

"And you just went along with it when your droid suggested that you turn it into a killing machine?"  
"Yeah. It made sense. With the way I had designed him, he would always have loyalty to me, nothing he could do would change that. Well, unless he made some changes that would lead to a fatal error." Revan said, sitting down on a chair, and motioning for Bastila to sit on another.

After a few minutes of them awkwardly sitting in silence, Revan said, "So, uhm..." before she was interrupted by her datapad beeping. After reading what it said, Revan sighed.

"What's wrong?" Bastila asked.

"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. But, just to be safe, I want you to go and find Meetra. Once you have, no matter what, don't separate from her until I return. We clear?"  
"Yes, but what's going on?"  
"Probably nothing. But I want to be certain."  
"Do you need help?"  
"I'd be able to focus more on my own. If there was anyone else around I'd be worried about something happening to them."  
"What's going on? You seem spooked."  
"I'm concerned, that's all." Revan said, placing a hand on Bastila's. "I should be able to handle this. But, in case I'm not, there's something I need to say. I know this is the worst possible time and place to say it, but there's not much time to come up with a better time to say this. I love you, Bas. If that freaks you out, I understand. And don't worry, I will never even consider trying to pressure you.  
"But... I just had to tell you. Just in case I fail. I mean, if you're uncomfortable about this we can forget I ever said anything. I just... I love you. I have for a long time. I meant for this to be a romantic thing where I told you at the end... but then this other thing came up, and I ran out of time..."

"Rev, quit rambling and kiss me." Bastila whispered.

"Alright." Revan replied, wrapping her arms around Bastila and pulling the Padawan into a kiss. When they separated a few moments later, Bastila said,

"I love you too." Bastila said. "So, hurry up and go take care of what you need to and come back to me."  
"I will." Revan promised, "I'll be back before you know it."

-=0=-

Six months later.

"What?" Bastila asked, as she looked at Meetra.

"Rev has fallen..." the Knight said. "I'm not sure why, but it's true. She's at the head of a massive fleet. Coming to wipe the Republic out."  
"That can't be right! Rev would never, she'd never fall! It has to be an imposter! Or... or something..." Bastila said, her voice trailing.

"It wasn't an imposter. It was Revan. I'd know her presence anywhere. It wasn't a fake. Rev has an air about her that you just can't replicate. You can't bs it."  
"But Revan wouldn't..."  
"I thought the same. I would have been skeptical too if I hadn't just managed to escape her fleet, using a small frigate. I thought that with how you and Rev were so close, you had a right to know first. So you have a bit of time to get your shit together after learning what Rev has become."  
"Why do you think she went over? She always hated the dark side, and everything it stood for."  
"I wish I knew." Meetra said. "But maybe we'll be able to bring her back over to the light."  
"Hopefully. The idea that Revan would have to die in order to save the Republic..."  
"I know." Meetra whispered.

-=0=-

Two years later.

"Padawan Bastila, as one of the few whom Revan was close with, you have been selected to lead a Jedi Strike Force to bring her in." Zhar said.  
"I would rather not go..." Bastila replied.

"This is not a matter that you have a choice in. If one close to her arrives in the bridge of her flagship, then maybe they can save her from the darkness."

"Revan and I have not spoken for two and a half years. We knew each other for eight months. The odds of her even recognizing me are next to none."  
"You must try, Bastila. For if we do not try, we are dooming her to death."  
The Padawan sighed, and said, "Very well."  
"You leave in four hours. Have your things ready."

-=0=-

Two days later Bastila stared at the Sith Fleet on the map. They were a day away. A day away from seeing Revan again. Then, a soldier said, "You're going to kill that bitch, tomorrow, aren't you?"  
"Who are you talking about, Soldier?"  
"Revan." he growled.

"Not if it can be avoided."  
"Do you Jedi think that she doesn't deserve to die?" He growled.

"An execution will make us no better than they. If we can redeem Revan, it will be a more massive blow to the enemy than killing her."  
"Can a woman who orders the annihilation of a non-combatant world that provides minimal tactical advantage be redeemed?"  
"You were on Telos, Soldier?"  
"The name's Carth, Ma'am. And no, I wasn't. Not at first. But my wife and son were. I still remember holding her, as she bled out. I was screaming for a medic, but they couldn't show up fast enough."

Bastila nodded, and said, "You have my sympathies, Carth."  
"Your sympathy doesn't mean much. You're probably like all the rest of you Jedi. Barely feeling, never suffered any real loss."  
"I know what it's like to lose a love." Bastila replied, looking at the fleet, and highlighting Revan's flagship.  
"Isn't that forbidden for you Jedi?"  
"By the Masters. Not all of us are as insistent that emotion can only lead to folly." Bastila said, zooming in on the Nemesis.

"So, you defied the Council. What happened to your love?"  
"She's on that ship."

"Who is she that Revan has her on that ship?"  
"She is Revan."  
"What! How do we know that you can be trusted?"

"Because, this Revan isn't the one I love. The one I love is the old Revan. Before she fell. Before she created this new Sith Empire. I'll do everything I can to try and redeem her, but I will never join this Sith. I'd sooner cut her down."  
"Will you have that same determination when you're looking at her in person?"  
"Do not underestimate the will of a Jedi." Bastila said.

He nodded, and said, "I will leave you to it then, Ma'am."

-=0=-

The next day Bastila walked into Revan's bridge. The remainder of the strike force behind her. When the Jedi entered the presence of the Dark Lord, Revan said, "It has been a while, Bas. How have you been?"  
"Why do you talk so casually, Revan? Do you think we are here to join you?"  
"Of course not. You are here to bring me before the Council. Turn me in to a group which will keep my body alive, but slay my mind. I suppose then I could say I am in between a rock and a hard place. Do I make myself vulnerable to betrayal from Malak, and have my body destroyed, or do I make myself vulnerable to you, and have the Council destroy my mind?"  
"There's a third option, Revan. You could turn your back on this dark path, and come back to the light."

"That starship has flown, Bas. If I return, they will never believe I have turned my back on this path. They already see me as beyond redemption, and thus I have no hope of convincing them that I turn my back on this.

"At first, I was under the control of a Sith ritual that forced me to follow the dark path. But, after a while I was able to free myself. By then, though, Malak had ravaged Telos, and I had no means of proving his guilt. Proving that it was not my command.

"That forced my hand. For me to survive I must return to the gray path, while commanding this Sith Armada."  
"It isn't gray what you're doing, Rev. You are conquering worlds, and placing leaders who abuse their power."

"Do you think that I haven't noticed that? If I try to reform the Sith rapidly, I will have a mutiny. They will turn on me, and the few that are loyal to me will not be enough to counter Malak's madmen."  
"You can turn your back on this. You can come back to the Order. Prove that you've reformed."

"With how many Jedi I have killed, the Council will certainly destroy me. And even if the slim chance they don't, I will forever be an outcast. My old friends will not speak to me after this.

"And, then there is the fact that the Republic will demand my head. Trust me, I have wanted to turn my back on this. To just bring an end to this. I've just wanted to come back to you, Bas.

"But, I've had to embrace the dark. To become a darker mix of light and dark. Otherwise... I'll die."  
"There's hope, Rev. You don't have to be that worried about people scorning you. If you help destroy the Sith, if you help us end this war, you will be welcomed back with open arms."  
"No I won't. I've looked at it. The Sith war effort has been too brutal. And I am the one they think set the example of how brutal to be. They see me as the worst of the bunch."  
"You clearly don't want to be a Sith. You clearly just want to be able to return to your life before this war. The Council will see that. The Republic will see that."

"They will see it, but they will also demand that I pay for the crimes committed by those under me. Since they see me as responsible for them."  
"You don't have to be the villain, Revan. You can return to being the Savior of the Republic. The only thing keeping you away from redemption is your own fear."  
"It isn't fear. It's knowledge of what happened to others. Others who shared my distaste for what was done. Sirthan, he returned, and was turned into Murik Nal'Cath. Kiranas, hung by the Republic. Jinsta, she was killed by a firing squad. Larry Venis was turned into a random Republic soldier.

"It is unfortunate, but there is no forgiveness for reformed Sith. If we try, we will be destroyed. Either by Jedi mindwipe, or Republic execution."  
"That can't be true..."  
"It is." Anseron, a Knight said.  
Revan looked at him, and said, "Anseron. So the Council sent you here to make sure that if I wouldn't willingly come, but was detained that you could do a field wipe? To avoid any pesky responsibility?"  
"You know them well, Revan." he replied. "You could make this easier for everyone, and just surrender. Then I'll be angry, suspect you of setting a trap, and wipe your mind. It'll be painless, I promise."

"No." Revan replied, turning to Bastila. "See, Bas? I have no future with them. I would never be given a fair trial. Or any trial. But, you can join me."  
"No, I can't." Bastila said. "Not while you're... this."

"I admit, I have gone a bit further down the dark path than is normal. To keep my army loyal."  
"Rev, how can I join you when you're barely in the category of Gray Jedi?"

"I'm still not a Dark Jedi. I'm still trying to do what's best for everyone."  
"How is setting yourself up as the empress of the galaxy in the best interest of anyone other than you?"  
"I'll let elected leaders still handle the running of the government. I'll be reclusive, making some public appearances, but leave the running of the galaxy to leaders elected by the people because of their qualifications, not because they had money behind them."

"But with how many of your people follow the Dark Side, how can I join you? How can I join such a corrupt force?"  
"Bastila, you won't have to change to be like these Sith. I would never ask you to be anything other than _you_. But, I know you've been curious about what the Dark Side is like. If you join me, I can show you, while keeping you free from the worst of its corrupting effects. If you join me, Bas, we can be together.  
"We could help the galaxy. Help bring about a reformed version of the Republic. If you do turn your back on the current Republic, you won't be helping to establish an evil empire, you'll be helping bring about reform."  
"Revan, I really want to join you, but... I can't."  
"Why not, Bas? Because the Jedi have told you that I'm evil? I may follow a darker path now, but I still am acting out of interest in doing what is best for the galaxy."  
"I know, but..."

"Bastila, there's nothing to fear in the dark, so long as I'm with you. I can protect you from it. Join me, and we can help bring about a golden era for the galaxy, that hasn't been seen for over five thousand years."

Bastila was silent for a while, looking at the masked woman. Fighting an internal battle between going with what her gut and heart told her was right, and the Jedi training ingrained in her. The training which always said that the Dark Side had to be avoided, no matter the cost.

She looked Revan in the slot of the mask, and she could almost see those emerald eyes looking into her own, begging her to join them. Then, Bastila turned to the Jedi behind her, and where she was supposed to see honorable protectors she saw monsters. Anseron's words ran through her head again, before she looked at Revan once more, and stepped towards her, weapon inactive. As she reached Revan, Bastila said, "I will stand by your side, my love."

Bastila could feel Revan's smile, even behind the mask, as the Dark Lord turned to the other Jedi, and asked, "Will any of you join me as well?"  
Anseron said, "Do you really want to throw your life away like this, Shan?"  
Bastila glared at him, and said, "The plan you and the Council have is monstrous. It isn't the way of the Jedi that I was taught. I was told that no one deserved to be executed, regardless of their crimes. What you do doesn't count as sparing them, even though the body survives."  
He sighed, then said, "Very well. You force our hands." as they ignited their blades.

"This doesn't have to end in any more bloodshed." Revan said, "We can work together, to bring about a society that is better for the people. One that is focused on their needs, instead of the desires of a select few."

"You want to create an empire for yourself, I can't believe Shan fell for your lies!" Anseron replied, as he and his fellow Jedi charged.

Revan looked at Bastila and said, "Be ready to defend yourself."  
"Of course, Rev." Bastila said, as she ignited her lightsabre.

After a short battle, the Jedi strike force lay dead at Revan and Bastila's feet. Revan turned to Bastila, and asked, "Are you okay? I know that cannot have been easy."

The former Padawan looked at her love, and said, "I'll be okay, Rev. I know that it had to be done."  
"Alright. If you need anything, just let me know. I'll do what I can to get you it, Babe."  
Bastila nodded, and said, "What about Malak? You said that he was a danger."  
I had his ship relocated. With luck, it'll be destroyed. I really don't need another enemy."  
"Why not have your ship fire on his?"  
"It would lead to confusion in the ranks. It is... unprecedented for the Master to destroy the Apprentice before there has been an actual challenge for dominance."  
Bastila nodded, and said, "So, we just see to it that he doesn't get an opportunity to betray you?"  
"Indeed." Revan replied taking Bastila's hand. Before looking at her, and saying, "I hate to ask this of you, but, while we're in public places, could you call me Master? That way the troops don't suspect that we're as close as we are. Malak isn't the only Sith who would like to get to me. And, if they knew how much I love you... you'd be a target."  
"Of course." Bastila said, bowing to Revan, "If you think it's necessary, Master."

Revan nodded, and said, "I wish it wasn't necessary. But it is. And in private, please continue to just call me what you would normally. I really don't want you to call me Master when it isn't absolutely necessary."  
"I already didn't plan to." Bastila said with a smirk. "Speaking of in private, where will I be sleeping?"  
"Well, I was kinda hoping you'd be staying with me. But, if you'd rather not, I can arrange a cabin right next to mine for you."

"Why wouldn't I want to stay with you?" Bastila asked, as she squeezed Revan's hand.

"Fantastic! Well, I'll see to it that you're set up properly once this space battle is won." Revan said, as she released Bastila's hand, and called the crew back into the bridge.

-=0=-

Three days later, Revan and Bastila stepped aboard the bridge of the Leviathan. The Dark Lord said, "What is it now, Malak? I am a very busy woman."  
"Master," he said, bowing, "we have received news of a Republic supply depot that was previously secret. It is called Ord Mandell."  
"Ord Mandell is of no interest to me. It has little of importance."  
"You do not find the main component of a neuro-gas that affects Jedi to be of interest?"  
"If my warriors were to rely on that to defeat their Jedi opponents it would weaken us. We must defeat the enemy through our superiority, not our willingness to use dirty tricks that have no proper place in a battlefield."

"As you say, Master. But surely it would be advisable to deny the enemy access to those same dirty tricks."  
"Malak, we are pushing on the proper fronts currently. This gas is of less import than taking the Republic worlds which are crucial to their effort. It would be better to take out their food production and weapons manufacturing capabilities."  
He nodded, and said, "There is one more reason I requested that you board the Leviathan."  
"What would that be, Malak?"  
"I believe that you have outlived your usefulness to the Sith. As such, I am challenging you for the title of Dark Lord."  
"Always the coward. Not even placing the battle on neutral ground. Instead, aboard the bridge of your own flagship. Where your most loyal lieutenants are. So that if things start to go poorly for you, they can help you take that which you lack the strength to take on your own."  
"They are merely here to bear witness to your destruction. And, I trust that your recent convert will not turn against our cause when you fall?"  
"She will not. Because that day will never come." Revan said, "And Malak, this one time I shall give you a chance to take back your challenge. I do not wish to have to eradicate one of my generals when we are in the middle of a war. It would be better if the chain of command remained unchanged.

"Perhaps we could save this squabble for until after the Republic has fallen. After all, would it not be better if the Sith Empire did not lose one of its greatest tacticians?"  
"If we have taken the Republic, you will have too many guards for any such challenge to work. It is now or never." Malak replied.

Revan shook her head, and said, "Alright. I had hoped to not eradicate you, because we were friends once. But, if you truly believe that you have what it takes to end me, I shall correct your folly."  
"It is not folly, Revan." he growled.

"So little respect for your own Master. Was it not I who taught you so much of what you know? Didn't I teach you all you know about tactics? Considering that my teaching is what has made you as capable as you are now, don't you think you could maintain that respect, until after the highly unlikely outcome of your victory?"  
"No, Revan. And enough talk, this ends now, soon there will be a new Dark Lord!"

"No. But it appears that I will have to replace you." Revan said, her voice calm, as she drew her blades.

Alek drew and ignited his lightsabre, and the two began to circle one another. After a while, he said,

"Why do you delay to attack Revan? Have you grown afraid of me?"  
"I have never known fear. And I never shall."

"A shame, because then maybe you would have a chance of survival."  
"If you were truly so confident in your superiority, you would have already struck. You always have in the past, when you were facing an opponent you believed yourself to be superior to."

"You have been known to pull unexpected tricks from your sleeve."

"As have you." Revan said, as she used the Force to slightly raise a platform in Malak's path. When he reached it, and stumbled for the tiniest fraction of a second, Revan charged. As her twin crimson sabers came down upon him, he raised his own in defense.

His footing was unstable, so he was pushed backwards by the strike, but suffered no wounds. He glared at Revan, as she struck again, swinging the blade in her primary hand at the right, while she swung the shorter blade in her left hand at Malak's left.

The Dark Lord's apprentice blocked the main, and rolled under the second strike. When he returned to his feet, he pushed Revan's main saber away, and struck at her with the Force. A stream of lightning flying from his hand.

The Dark Lord laughed, and caught it with her blade. After a moment, she moved the blade down, and stabbed it into the ground, redirecting the lightning at Malak through the metal.  
As he evaded the attack, Revan launched a flurry of blows, the first hitting his metal jaw, the second coming so close to his head as to give him a burn, but not actually cut the skin, and the final blow was caught by the fallen Jedi's weapon.

As he pushed Revan back, Malak roared, and slammed his fist into the ground, a shockwave of Force rushing out from it. It staggered most in the room, but it simply pushed Revan's cape back, and dropped the Dark Lord's hood, revealing her sapphire hair.

A moment later, it was back on, and Revan said, "you know I have a rule, Malak. The moment you bring down my hood, you die." As she charged him. She struck at him again and again, her blades a crimson blur, as her body twisted and turned to optimize the speed and force of each blow.

Malak struggled to defend himself, and began to suffer small wounds.

Each time Revan's blades hit Malak's he began to tire. He would attempt to push back, but in return would receive another wound, even with his attempts to dodge. The two moved around the bridge, as the group gathered watched in awe.

The Dark Lord's lithe body moved with speed and grace, each of her movements seemed as likely to be seen in the ballroom as on the battlefield. And Malak appeared to be an incompetent student compared to her. Though he was able to deflect or dodge most of the strikes, he was missing flesh in dozens of locations. Each marked with their own orange spot.  
Revan continued to strike, her blades wearing Malak down just as much through the force of the blocked attacks, as the wounds inflicted by those that connected. Her blades continued to batter down Malak, when suddenly flames snaked out from the arms of Mandalore's Bane, and towards the The Revanchist's Hammer.

He saw it coming, and reacted accordingly, a ball of Force Lightning focused right on Revan's heart. As it was about to hit her, Revan disappeared, and reappeared behind Malak. But, he had already turned around, and blocked both of her strikes, and kicked her back.

Revan took it in stride, and as she stumbled backwards, sent a computer terminal flying at him. He cut it in two before it got close, and walked slowly towards her, his movements slower than they had been earlier. The look in his eyes had switched from arrogant confidence to nervousness and fear.

He marched towards her, as she was then pushed further back, by a pulse of Force energy. She ended up hitting a terminal that was being worked on, and her arms got tangled in the cables. As she did so, Malak became confident once more, and he pushed his tired body to move faster.

Revan struggled to get herself loose, raising panels to slow Malak. He would simply cut through them, and continue on his slow march towards her. After a minute, he stood over Revan, crimson blade glowing menacingly, when she grabbed a cable and ripped it out. Sparks poured out around the torn section, as Revan used the Force to throw it at Malak.

It hit him, and the electricity sent him stumbling, his blade moving further from Revan. The Dark Lord continued to struggle, attempting to free an arm when she felt the handle of one of her blades. She struggled for a moment longer to grab the weapon.

With it in hand, she cut herself free. Now that both had only one lightsabre, the battle continued. Malak charged Revan, and attempted to end the battle in a single strike to Revan's neck. However, the Dark Lord simply stepped backwards, and the attack fell short.

Malak then feigned an attack at Revan's left leg, and at the last moment moved it upwards towards the arm. The woman caught it with her weapon, and simply shook her head. She countered with a rapid overhead strike. As Malak caught it with his saber, Revan pushed down on it, and as it fell down rotated her attack so the two were still in contact. The movement necessary was too much for Malak's wrist to turn the blade and hold it, so it flew out of his hand, and stabbed Admiral Karath in the arm.

Revan looked down at Malak, and said, "I am disappointed, Malak. I expected a more difficult battle." before severing his head. She then turned to the remaining Sith officers, and asked, "Are there any others who wish to attempt to take my life."  
After a few minutes, no one responded, and Revan turned to Saul, and said, "See to it that your wound is treated, and that lightsabre is destroyed."

"As you command, Lord Revan." he replied, bowing deeply. "Do you have any further commands?"  
"That is all."

"Then I request permission to be dismissed to your orders."  
"Granted." Revan said, turning to another soldier, and saying, "See to it that the news of Malak's fate is transmitted to the entire fleet. Show his head in the notice, as a warning for those who would seek to turn against me."  
"As you command, Lord Revan." she replied.

Bastila looked at the corpse with disgust, and said, "Master, what of Malak's corpse?"  
"It will be used for the notice, and then destroyed."  
She nodded, as the two left the bridge, and Revan said, "We're heading back to Nemesis. I do not want people to come to believe that I am dead because of Malak's betrayal."  
"Wouldn't it make sense to stay here, and make sure the right message is spread?"  
"No one in that room would lie. The Sith respect power, and they clearly saw that mine was greater than Malak's. They will remain loyal to me so long as I am the strongest."

"How long do you think it will take for another to seek to usurp your throne, Master?"  
"I do not know. Hopefully never. It is a waste to kill my own men because they start to get delusions of grandeur." Revan said, before adding over the bond that had formed after the battle where Revan was supposed to be captured. _"Promise me that you'll never become like that. That you won't embrace the Sith teachings to the point where you think that you have to kill me just to gain more power."  
"I promise, my love."_ Bastila replied.

"_Good. Though I will have to figure out who'll replace Malak. I'll need someone to command that fleet that I can actually trust to not betray me. Karath has always been loyal to just saving his own neck, so he wouldn't try to betray me unless the Sith were going to lose the war. _

"_And, as things are currently, there is no way that is going to happen. We were able to recruit so much of the Republic's best men that they don't have enough competent commanders to win. Dodonna is good, but she isn't enough. With Karath commanding one assault vector, Teras another, and myself the third, the Republic will fall soon."  
"You don't sound pleased."  
"I never thought my means of repairing the Republic's issues would be to eradicate it, and create a new one in its place. I thought that I would make a difference through the pre-existing methods. Fix the Republic from within, not just wipe it away and begin with a clean slate." _

"_Things always happen for a reason."_

"_Sometimes I doubt that."_

"_You worry too much, Rev. It'll be fine. There might be a bit of a growing pains as the new regime takes over, but so long as you manage to get the Sith in line so that some of their more... distasteful policies don't get into the new one, people shouldn't have too much of an issue. Beyond the politicians who are already in power. And the Jedi who hate anything named Sith. Even if we provide evidence that proves we aren't evil." _

"_Exactly, and the Jedi have been so skilled at hiding their flaws from the galaxy for so long that a lot of people idolize them to the point that they won't ask any questions about what is said. They won't look beyond the Council saying we're evil. They won't look at the facts. Like how any fleet under my direct command has treated the worlds they conquer fairly. Leaving most of the local customs in place, save for those which are inhumane. They won't look at how this could be seen as fixing what the Republic has been too lazy or corrupt to. All a lot of people will see is a conquering force."  
"Have there been many problems in worlds that have been captured?"  
"A few. But most have embraced our new regime. Seeing how we do what we can to help the people. Who knows how long that rakghoul serum on Taris would have stayed 'in development' when it was perfected except for the fact that it used an ingredient that had previously been reserved for a certain brand of perfume."_

"_You're kidding, right?"  
"Nope. Turns out big corporations don't like having to deal with the government getting in their way. And the Republic thinks that it would be too much effort to do any monitoring. One of the few changes that I'll have to do without a typical democratic system is having official monitoring of corporations that have been previously viewed as too large to monitor. Make so that they don't get away with breaking the law. There's no way in hell that we can afford to have more Czerka Corporations. Force what I'd give to not have them as a main supplier for us. But they're one of the few companies that aren't scared off by the name."  
"No wonder you always look so tired. Running this war and preparing for what comes after must be wearing you down."  
"It has to be done, unfortunately."  
"I could do more to help, Rev."  
"I don't want you to. I don't want you to have to make the hard choices that I have. I don't want you to have to make plans that are altered to be worse just so that you don't lose face in front of the army. I'm not involving you not because I don't trust you, Bas. I'm not involving you because I'm trying to protect you."  
"I don't want you to get yourself hurt or killed because of that. Rev, I didn't turn my back on the Jedi so that you could work yourself to death doing the work of keeping this army working."  
"I'm not going to work myself to death. During the Mandalorian Wars I got even less sleep, and I still got out okay."  
"If you don't want me to help, maybe we can find someone else who you would let do it."  
"I don't know who I can trust other than you, Bas. So many of the Sith would stab me in the back to take my place if I just gave them a chance. I'm working on getting everyone out of that mindset, and into one of working together for the greater good, but it's a slow process."  
"What if we were able to convert someone who's still with the Republic? Without them fully embracing the teachings of the Sith. You know, get another to join us in the gray. That way you can have a helper you can trust."  
"Most of the good tacticians the Republic has left are in command of fleets, or on Coruscant."  
_Bastila was silent for a moment, then said out loud, "My change of allegiance is not yet publicly known. The Council believes me to be captured. With Malak's recent betrayal, I could say that your focus was shifted from turning me to your cause, and to finding any who were more loyal to him than you. That way I can lure some more Jedi somewhere that we can try and convince them that our way is better than that of the Council and Republic."  
Revan was quiet, and said, "A clever plan. But what if you are discovered by the Jedi? They would not hesitate to execute you."  
"I have been able to keep larger secrets from the Jedi for longer than a few days."  
"How would you explain the deaths of everyone but you?"  
"Tell the Council that I was unable to rescue them, as we were kept far apart. To reduce the risk of any escape attempts. Say that because I was the leader of the strike team I was the one who you first worked on converting. And that because of my resistance, you had not moved on to them."

"Why would I not hold you in a secure cell between attempts to convert you?"  
"You believed that the area you were working on me would be more effective for converting me to your cause, of course."  
"How do you explain the lack of any sign of what they would expect?"  
"I will tell them that you believed pain was not an effective means of converting someone to your cause. That you said, 'Torture will merely make the tortured say what their tormentor wants to hear to escape the pain. It does not inspire true loyalty.' as you said yesterday when I asked if you would have tortured me had I proven resistant to joining your, our, cause."  
Revan nodded, and asked, "And what if they ask about your continued possession of your weapon?"  
"I would leave it here. I will say that I believed it was necessary to keep my escape as low-key as possible."  
"Your possession of Sith attire, how do you explain that?"  
"I will go in the armor of a Sith Commander, and say that I had to knock one out and take his clothes in order to make my exit not alert the entire fleet."  
"How will you prevent them from firing on sight?"  
"I will contact Admiral Dodonna personally when I reach her fleet. Use my voice so that she knows it truly is me. Since they would believe I am an escaped prisoner, I should be given safe haven there, and a Republic ship to travel back to Coruscant."  
"How do we keep the secrets of our technology from them?"  
"I... do not know, Master."  
"Perhaps do a poor landing. Express that you are quite tired from the journey and your escape. Use that as an excuse for a sub-par landing."  
"How would I do that? I can't think of a way to crash the ship that would be safe for me."  
"Each of our vessels is designed so that the pilot inside the cockpit will not be harmed. They may have to cut you out of the ship, but you'll be fine."

"Should I target any of their systems with the crash?"  
"Nothing inside the hangar would do any good. We don't want them to be suspicious. Now, how do you explain to the Council your desire to come after me again?"  
"Not after you, Master. After the captured comrades."  
"What if they tell you that those are dead? That their Masters felt them become one with the Force."

"Express surprise. Say that during your attempts to convert me you had said that they were alive and well."  
"And if they ask you why you didn't sense deception in my words?"  
"Say that whenever you entered the room, you used the Force to cloud my senses."  
"And if they do not agree to send a unit to come after me, or the 'captured' Jedi?"  
"I can think of a few on Coruscant who I could talk into coming with me outside the Council's wishes."

Revan nodded, and said, "Very well. You have accounted for everything. I do not like sending you on such a dangerous mission, but it is the only way to gain more allies. Assuming they will not turn their backs on our cause simply because of a name."  
"Do you think that this will work?"  
"I hope so." Revan replied. "You'll have to leave tomorrow if you want it to be believable."

"I know." the Sith Apprentice said.

"Good. Come on, we'll need to get everything set up."  
-=0=-

The next day, Bastila flew her ship towards the Republic fleet, and sent the signal, "This is Padawan Bastila Shan. I have managed to escape from the Sith fleet where I was being held captive by Darth Revan."  
"Bastila, you're alive!" Dodonna said, "We were almost certain that your strike force was completely destroyed!"  
"Revan seemed more interested in taking us prisoner. She used some strange technique that knocked us out before we could react."  
"Are you alright?"  
"I think I will be. But, I am exhausted from my escape. May I dock on your ship?" Bastila asked.

"Yes. We've got a lot of empty hangars after that last battle."  
"Just tell me where I can land."  
"Of course. How were you able to escape?"  
"From the little I was able to gather from what the Sith were talking about is that Malak attempted to overthrow Revan, and now she is looking for any who were loyal to him. I believe she fears that they will try to kill her to avenge their master. So, attention was turned elsewhere, giving me a chance to get out."  
"I see." Dodonna said, "Head to Hangar 17."  
"Will do." Bastila said, yawning. She approached the hangar, angled the ship that it would be wrecked beyond use, but the cockpit would be in sufficiently good shape for her to be safe. The Sith Apprentice used the Force to bring herself into a light sleep, her hand on the throttle pushing down while she did so.

A few moments later she was shaken awake by the force of the impact. Ten minutes later the dazed apprentice was pulled from the wreck. Dodonna ran up and said, "Bastila, what were you thinking flying in at that speed! You could have gotten yourself, and countless others killed! Not to mention how useful a functioning Sith ship would have been to the Republic war effort."  
"I'm sorry, Admiral. I must have fallen asleep. After my escape, I do not have a lot of energy left."  
"If you didn't feel up to landing, we could have pulled you in with the tractor beam."  
"I'm sorry. I thought I was less tired than I am. Please, I must get back to Coruscant as soon as possible. I don't know if my escape has been yet been discovered. Knowing how effective the Sith War Machine has proven, it probably has."  
"We'll send you back in our fastest transport with our best pilot. But first we need to get you out of those enemy clothes. The last thing the people of Coruscant need is to suffer a heart attack, seeing one of the few people they thought would save them dressed as one of the enemy."  
"Of course. I don't know what happened to my robes, when I woke up after Revan knocked us out, I was in a plain prisoner outfit when I first came to. These were just a disguise to get out."  
"They didn't do anything to you, did they?"  
"Other than change my clothes, no."  
"You're certain? These aren't good people."  
"I think they had done so to a prisoner captured before. From what Revan said, the ones who had done so were executed. With her history, even after her fall, she won't tolerate such actions. At least that is how it seems."  
"You believe some of the old Revan remains?"  
"Even after one falls to the Dark Side, some of what made them who and what they are stays. The only question has always been is it enough to bring them back to the Light." Bastila replied. "With Revan, I believe there is still some hope for her."  
"How so?"  
"Other than imprisonment in a small room with nothing interesting or useful, she was humane in her treatment. She still believes that torture never produces true loyalty. She was trying to convince me that her viewpoint was right, rather than the typical methods Sith use to convert Jedi to their foul cause."  
"I see. Do you think that there is any way we could turn Revan against the enemy?"  
"I think so. But first we would have to capture her."

"Very well. We should see to it that you get yourself cleaned up, and on your way."  
"That sounds excellent." Bastila said.

-=0=-

An hour later Bastila sat in the back of the transport, when she heard a voice from before the failed mission to 'capture' Revan say, "Good to see that you were able to get away from your old girlfriend. When shit hit the fan with that battle, I was certain that you had gone rogue."  
"I am still a Jedi. Regardless of what my feelings for Revan were, they would not have affected how I handle fighting the forces of the Dark Side. And they would most certainly not lead me to joining them."  
He nodded, and said, "We'll be on Coruscant in thirty-six hours."  
"Excellent." Bastila replied, "I'm going to get some rest."  
"Probably a good idea, Ma'am."

-=0=-

Bastila sighed after an hour and a half of interrogation of the Council interrogating her about her escape and brief imprisonment she was finally free. Meetra said, "So, Rev's still evil?"  
"Yes, but less so than we had been led to believe. The stories that she tortured people to convert them were false. I'm living proof of that."  
"You think that if you try again she can be converted?"

"Yes. That's why the Council is sending the two of us to bring her in."

"Just the two of us?"  
"They believe that, especially after Malak's betrayal, that the idea of fighting two others she was close to may be difficult for Revan. That since my encounter with her indicates that while she is still fallen a good portion of who she was before remains, we might be able to get her back on our side."  
Meetra nodded, and asked, "When do we leave?"  
"Twenty minutes." Bastila replied, "You think you can be ready by then?"  
"What about your lack of a lightsabre?"  
"I used to stick around with Revan. What was her number one rule regarding lightsabres?"  
"Always have a backup." Meetra replied.

"Exactly. I'll go get my backup while you get ready to go."

"Got it. Hopefully we can get Rev back to normal. Life just isn't the same without having her around to tease about you."

Bastila laughed, and said, "Don't be an ass."  
"Awww, where's the fun in that?"  
"Meetra, can you spare the jokes for after we don't have to fight Revan?"  
"Sure."

-=0=-

Two hours later.

Meetra turned to Bastila, and asked, "What's going on?"  
"We're on our way to get Revan back to normal."  
"Why is it you can't look me in the eye? You're just constantly checking how we're getting along, despite the fact that we're in the hyperspace route. You don't have any real steering to take care of at this speed."  
"I'm concerned about what will happen if we can't get Rev back to how she was before."  
"Alright. You could have just said that. You've seemed a bit off for a while. It's almost like... oh I can't believe I didn't see it. You aren't trying to turn Revan against the Sith at all. The war's wearing her down, with Malak turning against her, she needs someone she can trust to cut the work load. The others you talked about maybe rescuing are dead, aren't they? Slain by you and Revan."  
"I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's the only reasonable thing. I'm not stupid, Bastila. Tell me what's going on, or I will turn this ship around, forcibly."  
Bastila sighed, and said, "Revan doesn't want to fight this war. But she knows that if she tries to return to the Order her mind will be destroyed."  
"What makes you so certain?"  
"Another member of the strike force, a Knight named Anseron said that his main mission in the force was to wipe her mind on the field. Have it look like it was done in a fit of anger and poor logic. Essentially make him a scapegoat for the Council's plan."  
"You can't be serious, the Council has ordered some fucked up things in the past, but this takes the cake."  
"I wouldn't have joined her if it wasn't the truth. I was trying to convince her that she would be okay if she came with us willingly, and helped bring about the end of this war."  
Meetra was silent, then said, "Fine. I'll talk to Revan. But, I'm not ready to turn against the Republic just yet."  
"Revan doesn't expect you to. She just wants to give you a chance to actually see what is going on. And, if you aren't willing to join us, you will be allowed to return to the Jedi. You will be given a guide to show you around the New Republic. To see what is really being done beyond the 'Durasteel Curtain.' of the 'Sith Empire'."

"Why is it that Revan calls herself Dark Lord?"  
"It was a brief stint where Malak had her under the influence of an ancient ritual. That's why she was fallen for the time that she was. She broken free, and started doing what she could to reform."  
"You really believe that?"  
"I've seen enough proof to believe it."

"What could make you believe that what was done on Telos wasn't a singular incident?"  
"I saw what Revan did to Malak because of it. How do you think he lost his jaw?"  
"What makes you believe that Revan removed that for Malak killing so many innocents? How do you know that she isn't manipulating you?"  
"Do you really think I haven't asked myself that question countless times already?"  
"We both know Revan understands how to push people's buttons to make them willing to follow her into hell. I want to be certain that you think she's trustworthy."  
"I do. And even if I didn't trust her, and wasn't willing to work with her, I wouldn't return to the Jedi after I saw what Anseron was supposed to do."  
"So, it wasn't whether or not you were going to go rogue, it was whether or not you were going to join Revan?"  
"Yes. I can't stand for the idea of fighting for an Order which will command its own to throw themselves under the bus in order to do their dirty work."

"It's like Revan said. Sometimes war demands that you do some unethical things to win."

"The Jedi Council is supposed to be an incorruptible symbol of the Jedi ideals. Unwavering in their beliefs. They are not supposed to be the ones giving people orders to do what is wrong. They're supposed to be punishing those who do anything that is wrong, so it doesn't happen again."  
"Yeah, but when you're fighting someone like Revan, who will do whatever it takes to win, you sometimes have to go down to her level."  
"Revan would have considered coming back, if she didn't know that the Council would have tried to destroy her, and the Republic execute her."  
"You're certain?"  
"If the Council was willing to go to the levels they did, I wouldn't put it past the Republic to execute an innocent woman." Bastila said.

"I'd hoped you wouldn't be so... adamant." Meetra said. "I didn't trust it, when you said you'd escaped. The description from Dodonna felt too convenient. Especially with the way the Sith vessel you took was destroyed so no useful data could be acquired, while you weren't harmed within. Book her."

"Aye-aye, Ma'am." Carth said, as he stepped forward.

"If you take me prisoner, you will bring down the full force of the New Republic on your heads." Bastila replied.  
"No we won't." Meetra said, "You've been played, Shan. You let the fact that you love Revan cloud your mind about how she is. About what she's become. You're coming back with us to Coruscant."

"No, I am not. If I return there, and am known to have turned sides, either my mind or body will be destroyed."  
"You're still early enough in your fall to be redeemed."

"Do I look corrupted by the touch of the Dark Side to you?" Bastila growled, looking Meetra in the eye. "Just because I've sided with Revan, does not mean I am a fallen Jedi."

"You've sided with the self-proclaimed Dark Lord of the Sith. What does that make you, if not a fallen Jedi."  
"A Jedi who cannot stand for the corruption of the Council and Republic any longer."  
"Why do you say that? Actually, no, that can wait. Until we're back on Coruscant."  
"If you really think you can take me prisoner and not have Revan come for me, you're wrong. All you're doing is bringing her wrath down on Coruscant. Instead of a woman just trying to help through the difficult hand she's been dealt by the Force, she'll be coming to make the people who took me pay."  
"You seem awfully confident in the ability of a sociopath to feel love." Meetra replied, as Carth cuffed Bastila. "Those will keep you quiet until we get back. Stasis cuffs. Onasi, put her in the corner."

"Yes, Ma'am." he complied. Meetra then took the controls, and turned the ship around.

-=0=-

Revan stood in the bridge, then said, "All fleets, set course for Coruscant."  
"Lord Revan, what is with these new orders?" Karath asked, "Tactically it makes little sense. We will be exposing our rear. There will be massive losses if we go along with it."  
"Would you rather your Lord and Master go there alone, without the backing of a fleet to ensure her survival?"  
"Of course not, Ma'am. But I need to know why our plans are changing. We have been making steady progress through the Republic. What has changed that now makes it critical that we break their back now?"  
"When I give an order, I expect it to be followed. And I expect you to trust in me enough to see that I will not make a decision that will harm our cause. Set all fleets on a course for Coruscant."  
"Of course, My Liege." he said, bowing.

Revan nodded, and said, "Notify me when we are nearing the planet. I expect a full map of Republic fleet positions near Coruscant."

"Aye-Aye. What do we do to any fleets between us and Coruscant?"  
"Destroy them. I expect you to show no mercy. Utmost efficiency, while minimizing losses for the assault of Coruscant. And jam any communications. The less they know we are coming, the more likely we are to take Coruscant quickly."  
"It will be done as you have commanded, My Lady." Saul said, bowing before her.

-=0=-

Bastila sat quietly in the cell the Council had placed her in. At the absolute bottom of the Jedi temple. She sat there, when Master Zhar walked in, and said, "Bastila, why do you refuse to speak? Surely you know that Revan will not come to help you. And even if she would, her armies are not enough to break the back of the people of Coruscant."  
Bastila looked at him silently, and he said, "I understand that you are upset. Before she fell you and Revan were friends. But that Revan is gone. The reason we ordered Anseron to wipe her mind is that it is the only way to ensure peace for the galaxy."  
Again Bastila merely glared at him, and did not respond. He continued, "Think of the future you are throwing away because of your inability to keep control over your emotions in the middle of a battle situation. You have always been one of the most talented Jedi the Order has."

Bastila shook her head, and Zhar said, "Bastila, I am trying to help you. You do not have to be so defiant."

"I have always been taught that there are certain lines the Jedi Order would never cross. Because if it did then it would no longer be the Jedi Order. What you and the rest of the Jedi Council told Anseron to do crossed one of those lines. The wiping of a mind must never be done on the field. It must be done after the subject has been found guilty of a crime deserving it. Found guilty by a jury of her peers.

"Those mandates have been what keeps the Jedi different from savages such as the Mandalorians. And you chose to break them. As I told Meetra, even if I weren't siding with Revan, I would not side with the Jedi after that mission."

"Bastila, you are willing to throw away your life, over a single desperate action?"  
"Just because you are desperate does not mean that you can bring yourselves down to what you say is the level of the people you are fighting."  
"What were we supposed to do?"  
"Not be so that Revan kept fighting under the Sith Banner because she knew that she would die if she tried to return to the Republic."  
Zhar shook his head, and said, "I see that Revan's indoctrinations still hold sway over your mind."  
"Do you know what the people of Taris say about the 'Sith' occupation force on their world? They say they are better than the Republic delegates that they replaced. Since they aren't in the pockets of the local Exchange crime lord."

Zhar left, no words leaving his mouth.

-=0=-

Two days later, Revan looked past the massive Republic fleet, towards the world behind it. She asked, "Are the stealth transports ready?"  
"Yes, Ma'am."  
"Excellent. Have my personal unit of Jedi meet me by the first vessel, and fill the others with our most skilled ground troops. We will take the Jedi Temple and Senate house. With those in our control, the Republic forces will have their attention divided."  
"Yes, Ma'am!" An ensign said, "Everyone will be ready to leave in five minutes."  
"Excellent. Once we have entered no-man's-space, open fire on the Republic fleet. If they are distracted, the chances of our being detected are much slimmer."  
"It will be done."

"It better be." Revan replied, marching towards the hangar.

-=0=-

Fifty minutes later, Revan stepped foot in the entrance of the Jedi Temple. She continued to march in, as her men followed her in perfect formation. She looked around, and then said, "Where is Bastila?" to the Jedi gathered in the chamber.

When no one responded, she raised her voice, and asked again, "Where is Bastila?" As silence followed her question, she said for a third time, "Where is Bastila?"  
The Jedi continued to not respond, and then Revan said, "This is your final warning. Either tell me where Bastila is, or my men and I will tear this temple apart, killing every Jedi who stands in our way until we have found her."  
"Impatient as ever, Revan." Zhar said. "You will not reach Bastila. You have already filled her head with enough of your Sith lies."  
"She would not have turned her back on you had the Jedi Order followed its own teachings and rules. Now tell me where she is Zhar. Or else."  
"Or else you will kill me? A Jedi does not fear death."  
"It will not be death, Zhar. It will be embarrassment. The galaxy will learn of your secret. The one you thought you were able to keep hidden, but your encryption was not up to snuff. Because you're someone who doesn't fear death."  
"I am not ashamed of the mistakes of my past. I have moved past them."  
"Is that what you call beating your first student to death, when he tried to leave the Order? And then covering it up as he ran away, because he believed the Path of the Jedi was not for him?"  
"How do you know that?!"  
"Your confession. I will give you that at least you have a conscience. You feel bad when you do horrible things. Now, Zhar, tell me where Bastila is, or else I'll tell them about the blatant disregard for the way of the Jedi you and your fellow Councilors have."  
"Do you believe that will sway them as easily as it did Bastila, Revan?"  
"No. I believe they'll stand behind you. But they will begin to doubt you. And even if it is not today, they will turn against the Council."  
"There is another solution to this, Revan. Surrender yourself."  
"So that you can destroy my mind? No thanks, Zhar. This is your last chance to just give me the information I want. Either tell me where Bastila is, or let the Order know what you ordered Anseron to do."  
"The Jedi Council ordered Anseron to erase the mind of Darth Revan without trial, and take the fall as an individual who did so without proper judgment, or the approval of the Council." Zhar said.

"So, you'd rather lose face, than tell me what I want to know. Very well. I suppose you leave me with no choice. Men, search the building until you have found Bastila. If any Jedi attempts to get in your way, cut them down like you did the mandalorians."  
"So, now you show your true colors, Revan. A murderer who commands other murderers." Zhar said.

Revan stood there in silence, until the other Sith were out of the room, then said, "When you take the woman I love, and put her in a cell, I will do whatever it takes to get her back. Even if it means killing every single person on Coruscant to reach her."  
"You once said it yourself, Revan. You cannot feel love."  
"I was wrong." she replied.

"So, you are going to fight your way to her? I had hoped for a peaceful resolution to this war. With Malak gone, there is no one left to take command of the Sith Armada."  
Revan simply drew her blades, and said, "You know, Zhar. I had hoped to not have to do this. But there is an ancient technique, predating the Jedi and the Sith. Predating the concept of light and dark sides of the Force. I will not enjoy using it on you to discern Bastila's location. But, I will because you leave me with no other choice."  
"You could surrender."  
"Not so long as it would mean death or indoctrination for Bastila." Revan said, igniting the twin blades. Zhar drew his own weapon, and said,

"Then I suppose I shall have to cut you down."

"You don't stand a chance." Revan replied, as she disappeared, and both of the Jedi Master's arms fell to the ground. His legs quickly followed, and then Revan slammed the torso into a wall, and said, "The technique I spoke of is called Mens Exterminans. It doesn't leave much of the person it's used on intact, but it is useful for pulling information from those too stubborn to give it up."

"I will never help you, Sith." he choked out through the pain.

"Very well then. You force my hand." Revan growled, as she extended threads of Force energy towards Zhar's brain. She whispered, _"Indica mihi furta, inimicum animos. Scientiam doce me, quaero, ut uti oculis meis." _

As the Force touched the old man's brain, images flooded Revan's mind, and she saw one of Bastila. Sitting quietly in a cell. Outside it she saw a letter and a number. G-76.

She broke Zhar's neck, and walked down the hallway. She marched through the temple, a few Jedi attempting to block her path, but they were merely thrown aside by the Grey Jedi. She would not be stopped in her quest.

After she reached the elevator, and told it to go down to sub-basement G, she started tapping her foot impatiently. The closer she got to the level, she began to get cautious. Lightsabres in hand, ready for combat.

When the doors opened, the Jedi Council she had expected was instead just Meetra. Standing in front of the door, sapphire blade glowing in the relative dark of the room.

Revan said, "Meetra, this isn't how I was hoping we'd meet again. I was hoping for a more civil reunion."  
"You killed fifteen Jedi to get here. You _killed them in cold blood_."  
"It wasn't cold blood. They were trying to keep me away from Bastila. Now, Meetra, please get out of the way. I'd hate to make your wife a widow."  
"Revan, you need to get your head out of your ass. I can't let you get past to a prisoner."  
"Meetra, I am offering you a chance to live. That is more than I have given anyone else since I had to use force the first time. Your choice will not change whether or not I reach Bastila. But rather whether or not you live."  
"You'd kill me?"  
"If it meant saving Bastila, I would sacrifice my own life in an instant. If it meant saving her, I would sacrifice the entire Sith Armada."  
Meetra deactivated her weapon, and said, "Revan, you've changed. I remember when there was no one you'd go to these lengths to protect. I didn't believe that the old you was still alive. That it was consumed by a dark tyrant. It looks like I've been wrong. I'll talk to you later. See if there isn't a way I can help you turn your Sith Empire into more of a New Republic."  
"Why the sudden change of tone?"

"You're still the same Revan from before this latest war. It's just like what Bastila said, you're just working with a really shitty hand the Force dealt you."  
"Is there anyone else I'll have to worry about?"  
"Nah. Your people upstairs provide a pretty good distraction. Though they don't appear to be slaughtering like they were at first."  
"I changed their orders. At first it was find Bastila ASAP. Now it's secure the temple, minimal casualties. I'm not trying to eradicate the Jedi, I'm trying to force reform that otherwise wouldn't come about."  
Meetra nodded, and said, "You should go. You don't want to keep her waiting any longer."

"Yeah." Revan said, as she ran past Meetra, who walked into the elevator.

Revan sprinted through the tunnels, using the Force to speed herself up. When she reached door G-76, she slammed her hand against the control panel, sending a pulse of Force energy that made the door open. She ran into the room, where she saw Bastila sitting.

The younger woman looked up, and a massive smile crossed her face. She said, "Rev, Thank the Force you showed up."  
Revan wrapped her arms around Bastila, and said, "Babe, there is no power in this universe or any other that could keep me from you."  
Bastila nodded, snuggling closer to Revan. The Grey Jedi then said, "As much as I love just holding you, we have a bit of work to do, unfortunately."  
"What do you need me to do?"  
"Just stay close to me." Revan said, handing Bastila her saber. "Sadly, we're going to have to kill the Jedi Council. Zhar was the only one I thought we might have a chance of convincing to reform the Order. And he proved to be just as obsessed with the, 'I'm evil.' story as everyone else."  
Bastila nodded, and said, "I'll do my best."  
"That's all I ask." Revan said, briefly raising her battle mask, so Bastila could see her soft smile.

Bastila smiled back, and then the two marched through the building, back up towards the Council.

-=0=-

Inside the Council Chambers, Vandar said, "Why have you come here, Revan?"  
"You know why, Master Vandar." Revan replied, "You took one of my most valued allies and put her in the deepest darkest hole you could find. I know a lot of people who would describe that as a massive dick move."  
"We are at war, Revan. What do you expect us to do when we learn there is a spy among our ranks?"  
"I expect you to treat her as a freaking person, instead of like a freaking baby Rancor!"  
"We treated her as a person who sought to destroy us."

Revan sighed, and said, "Before you took her, my plan wasn't to destroy you. I wasn't planning to bring about excess losses. I'm not a madwoman looking for power. Power's just a pain in the ass, more hassle than it's worth."  
"Then why do you seek to conquer the Republic?"  
"Because it's my only option. It's a matter of you or me. And, I would like to think that more people would be negatively affected by my demise than yours."  
"You believe that you have the might to defeat the combined strength of the Jedi Council?"  
"Not alone. But I don't stand alone." Revan said, as a pair of her fellow Grey Jedi entered the room. "You see, we aren't Dark Jedi in this so-called Sith Empire. Not all of us. We follow a path that doesn't bind itself to any one facet of the Force. We are Grey Jedi, and we're just trying to help bring about a better galaxy for everyone.

"And that includes you, if you are willing to look beyond a name. Yes, I did claim to be Dark Lord of the Sith. But, for the 'Dark Lord' I don't feel particularly evil. I don't feel like I'm just doing this for myself.  
"So, Councilors, I give you a choice. Help me bring about a superior galaxy, one that is not frequently ravaged by war. Or cling to the past conflicts, and die with them."  
"You will bring about a government controlled by corrupt individuals who stab each other in the back to forward their own goals." Vandar said, "It is the way of the Sith, after all."  
"It is the way of the Sith, Vandar. But what you don't seem to understand that we are Sith in name alone. Yes, there are some who follow those ways. But their leader is dead, and I can continue to work on getting my people in line. Now, we can either work together towards a better future, or we can fight and kill each other. Which do you want, Vandar?"  
"When you took the name of Sith, you made yourself our enemy. There is no way for us to tell if you are trustworthy, or merely trying to deceive us."

Revan sighed, and said, "Your paranoia will always lead to trouble. Your overcaution will lead to your destruction."  
"With how many crimes that have been committed by the Sith historically, we cannot afford to take the risk of allowing any group that takes such a name to continue to exist."  
"You will not listen to reason? You will not attempt to look beyond old grudges in order to accomplish what is best for all?"  
"We cannot allow you to continue acting under the Sith banner. And as you have attacked us in our home, it is clear that you will not attempt to redeem yourself from that foul path. As such we have no choice but to fight."  
"You forced my hand when you sought to destroy my mind and captured my student. Had you not put Bastila in that cell, I would not be here today."

"But one day you would. Your conquest would demand it."  
Revan shook her head, and said, "I have never wanted to conquer. I do not wish for power of my own. What I want. What I seek to bring about, is scouring the corruption from the Republic. Creating a new government to fix the problems this one has."

"It is most unfortunate that you took the name of Dark Lord, Revan. Otherwise, we would be able to believe that is truly what you want."  
Revan sighed, and replied, "I see this is a waste of time. There is too much distrust and old grudges for peace to come about. So let us not waste any more time, and end this."

Vandar nodded, and said, "True, Revan. I wish this was not the only possible outcome."  
"The Force can be a real bitch sometimes."  
"It is a shame that this had to happen. You were perhaps the greatest student this Order has ever known. It is truly a shame, that you will almost certainly be the one to destroy it."  
"The corruption runs too deep. I thought it might be able to be purged, but the orders you have given proved me wrong. You crossed too many lines, Masters." Revan said, igniting her blades. "Once I respected you, but now, I must end you." she walked forward, towards the tiny Jedi.  
He looked up at her, and said, "Embrace the final touch of the Force, Revan. For after today, you will not know its touch." he said, as four more Jedi stepped up from behind the Council's chairs. They raised their blades, and pointed them at the Dark Lord.

Revan looked them in the eyes, and said, "You really don't want to do that. It'll only end badly for you."

They did not reply, but continued to walk forward. "This is your final warning, put down your weapons, or you will die."  
Again, they did not comply, but marched closer to Revan, weapons pointing at her. Then, the ground beneath them melted away, and they fell to their demise.

Vandar's eyes bulged slightly, before he leaped at Revan. She blocked his strike, and pushed him towards the ground. The Jedi stumbled backwards, as another strike fell upon him. His blade caught it at the last moment. Unfortunately for him, Revan's second came from the right, and severed his head. She then turned to the two remaining Jedi Masters, and saw them dead on the ground.

Revan sighed, and said, "Good work. How goes the securing of the temple?"  
"Complete, Ma'am. Seventy-two percent of the Jedi have surrendered."  
"Twenty-eight percent casualties. Lower than I expected. Keep them prisoner. And make it clear that no torture will be tolerated."

"As you command, Ma'am." they said, leaving the room.

"Are you okay, Rev?" Bastila asked, placing a hand on the older woman's shoulder.

"I will be." she replied, staring at the bodies. "It's just... I remember when I first joined the Order. How they... how they let me in, despite the fact that it would have made so much more sense to turn me away. I was a bit older than most, and I didn't seem the most stable. Vandar, though, he said that my talent was so great that even if the Jedi didn't train me, someone would.

"And I killed him. The person who made so that I have the talents that I do."  
"You tried to resolve it peacefully."

"I know. But, I still feel guilty. He died because he spoke up for me."  
Bastila nodded, and said, "Please don't let it affect you too much. Don't let it break you, please."  
"I won't, Bas. I just... I need a moment. Please, go out, check how the battle is going at the Senate. See if the troops have managed to secure it. If we can end this war today..."  
"I'll see to it, Rev. Take all the time you need." Bastila whispered, leaving the room.

-=0=-

Three days later, Revan stood aboard her flagship, and said, "It's finally over. An end to the war. To the conflict."  
"There will still be many who oppose our rule." Bastila said, looking out at the stars.

"They will fall, either through peacekeeping forces, or because they see that we are helping the people. Giving them more freedom, instead of enslaving them."  
Bastila nodded, and asked, "I never thought this day would come. Where the Old Republic would fall to make way for the New."

"Neither did I. But, this is the galaxy we live in now." Revan said, taking Bastila's hand. "Come on. The crew can take care of things for a few hours."  
Bastila nodded, following her love. When they reached their shared quarters, Revan removed her mask, and kissed Bastila. After they separated, Revan said, "I'm sorry I haven't been giving you enough attention since you joined."  
"I understand why. Now quit talking and kiss me, Revan."  
"Gladly." the older woman replied, once again taking Bastila into her arms, and kissing her.

As they continued to kiss, Revan pulled Bastila deeper into the room. After Revan lowered her onto the bed, Bastila pulled back, and said, "Now, what do you think you're doing, Lord Revan?"  
"What do you think, Ms. Shan?" Revan asked, her voice sultry.

"Something I've been waiting for you to do for days." Bastila replied, pulling Revan back down. As their lips made contact once more, Revan ran her hands down Bastila's side, undoing the outermost layer of her robes.

Bastila shifted her arms for her lover to toss them aside, before undoing Revan's cloak, and throwing it to the far side of the room. Revan slightly raised Bastila's neck, pulling her deeper into the kiss, as she also sought access with her tongue.  
As Bastila granted it, Revan slipped a hand into her robes, gently caressing her skin, as it sought the clasp of Bastila's bra. When it found its target, it was quickly undone, and a second later it fell to the ground.

As she felt Revan do this, Bastila moaned softly into the kiss, her hands roaming downwards. When they reached Revan's ass, Bastila started to squeeze and kneed the flesh through the durable fabric.

Revan groaned as she felt the pressure, and pushed the center of Bastila's robes down, exposing her bare breasts.

As Revan did so, Bastila slipped her arms out of it, and while Revan began to caress Bastila's chest, the younger woman began fumbling with the clasps of Revan's armor, her mind fogging from the combination of Revan's tongue in her mouth, and hands on her.

After a minute of attempting to remove it, Bastila finally undid all the clamps, and dropped the armor to the ground. It landed with a soft thud, and the quietness of it turned both women''s heads, separating them from the kiss for a moment.

After looking back at Bastila, Revan began to kiss the younger woman's neck, her tongue tracing circles on the exposed flesh. Bastila groaned, and Revan continued to move down. Trailing kisses all the way down, until she reached Bastila's left breast.

She looked up at the younger woman, winked, and then began kissing her way up. When she reached Bastila's hard nipple, Revan gently slid her tongue along it, before taking it into her mouth, and sucking hard.

Bastila moaned loudly, and started to grind against Revan, who quickly provided a knee. A few moments later, Bastila reached down, and pulled the bottom of her robes off, and tossed them aside, leaving only her soaked panties on.

Revan continued to treat to Bastila's left breast, while one hand squeezed the other. Bastila's moans filled the room, and they only grew louder as Revan's free hand slipped underneath her panties.

As Revan ran a finger down Bastila's soaked slit, she moaned, and pushed her hips up, trying to increase the contact.  
The Dark Master smiled, as she released Bastila's breast, and kissed her way down to her love's hips. Bastila looked down at her with lust. Revan smiled up at her, as she pulled her finger away from Bastila's core, and licked it clean, before lowering her head to Bastila's soaked lips.

She slowly, teasingly kissed it, before lightly running her tongue along the outer folds. Then, as she continued to ravish Bastila's lower folds, she began to slide a finger in, ever so slightly.

The younger woman moaned loudly as Revan did so, and even louder as a second joined the first. Then, after a couple seconds of doing that, Revan pushed deeper, and Bastila gasped for a second as she felt a sharp pain, but the combination of Revan's fingers, and her tongue swiping across the Padawan's clit overwhelmed it quickly.

After a few more moments of Revan's ministrations, Bastila groaned as she came. A few moments later, after Revan had licked up as much of her love's juices as possible, she slid up beside her. Bastila whispered, "That was the most amazing thing I've ever felt."  
"Glad you liked my performance." Revan said, running a hand through Bastila's hair. Bastila just nodded, as she kissed Revan. As she tasted herself on Revan's tongue, the Padawan growled in a sultry tone, "Off." pointing at Revan's clothes.

Revan chuckled, and complied, before Bastila rolled on top of her, and started squeezing her breasts. The warrior moaned at the contact, especially when Bastila started rolling her nipples between a pair of fingers.  
Bastila just nodded, as she slid down Revan's body, her face directly above her lover's moist womanhood. She lay there for a second, squeezing Revan's breasts before she began running her tongue along Revan's core. As she did so to a chorus of Revan's moans, Bastila slid her hands down Revan's abdomen, her nails slightly scraping Revan's skin, before she slid them along Revan's waist, and squeezed the older woman's ass.

Revan groaned, as Bastila then moved the hands down to her legs, and around to Revan's core. As she lifted her head up for a second, to smile at the older woman, Bastila moved a pair along the soaking slit, and pinched Revan's clit.

Revan moaned louder than before and her hands pushed Bastila's head back down. Bastila smirked, and resumed her efforts, her tongue running over Revan's sensitive clit. The Dark Knight groaned in pleasure, it growing louder as Bastila pushed four fingers into her.

Then after a moment, Bastila moved her other hand back up from Revan's thigh back to her ass, squeezing the soft flesh hard. Revan groaned. After a minute, Revan let out a cry of pure ecstasy as she climaxed, her juices covering Bastila's face. The Padawan tried to catch it all with her mouth, and licked Revan's crotch clean, before moving back up to her love's head.

Bastila stared down at Revan with love, as the Knight ran a finger along her face, and said, "Sorry for getting your face dirty." with a small smirk as she pulled her finger back.

"I didn't mind." Bastila said as she put Revan's finger in her mouth, licking it clean.

Revan smiled at her, and said, "I love you."

"I love you too." Bastila said, as she snuggled up to Revan.

Revan wrapped her arms around the younger woman, and said, "Sleep well."  
"I will." Bastila said, snuggling closer to Revan.

-=0=-

The next morning, as Bastila opened her eyes, she saw Revan smiling at her. "Just got word, Bas. Meetra's going to take care of the Senate today. So, we've got the day to ourselves."  
"You think she won't stab us in the back like she did before?"  
"I know Meetra. She's got a lot of giveaways for when she's lying. She's on our side now."  
Bastila smiled, and said, "A day off sounds nice."  
"Yeah. But, we got a bit sweaty last night. So we should probably take a shower."  
Bastila nodded, as she stood up, and walked towards the shower, motioning for Revan to follow. When they stepped into the shower, and water started pouring down on them, Revan gently pinned Bastila to the wall, and said, "So, round two?"  
"And three. And four." Bastila replied, positioning her knee between Revan's leg.

"You've got quite the appetite."

"Maybe abstaining for so long wasn't such a good idea." Bastila replied, as she leaned forward to kiss Revan. Their lips locked as Revan's tongue snaked into Bastila's mouth, and began exploring every last millimeter of it. Bastila moaned into the kiss, as one of Revan's fingers slid across her clit, and down into her. As Revan ran a hand through Bastila's hair, she undid the braids, letting the younger woman's long hair cascade down over her shoulders.

Revan ran a hand through the silky threads, and continued to pump her fingers in and out of Bastila. The younger woman moaned into their kiss, when Revan came even closer, pushing their breasts closer.

The contact of breasts elicited a long, "Ooooh!" of pleasure from Bastila, When Revan flicked Bastila's clit with her thumb. The former Padawan's legs went limp, Revan helping her stand as Revan's hand was soaked.

As Bastila leaned on Revan to maintain her balance, she whispered, "This makes me think of our date, before this whole mess started."  
Revan smiled, and said, "Yeah. I'd never been so nervous in my life. I wasn't sure if my dress would scare you off. I remember this one girl, Twi'lek. I showed up to the date in that, and she got freaked out."  
"Why were you looking at this Twi'lek?"  
"Lost a bet to that bastard Malak, well Alek at the time. So, I had to try and get with a Twi'lek."  
"You failed I hope." Bastila said, running a hand through Revan's blue hair, her legs stable once more.

"Of course." Revan said, kissing Bastila again, their tongues meeting in a passionate battle. This time Bastila won, as her tongue began touring Revan's mouth. A moment later, the Knight squeezed Bastila's ass, and she returned the favor, massaging the flesh.

Revan slightly groaned, as Bastila's knee rose up to her womanhood. Revan started grinidng her pussy against Bastila. Meanwhile the Padawan used one hand to caress Revan's cheek, before resuming their kiss once more. Their tongues danced around each other, touching for a brief mometn before they retreated again. The kiss continued like so for a few moments, while Bastila caressed Revan's breasts.

After a couple more moments of this Bastila moved down from Revan's mouth to her neck. Leaving a path of kisses, and tiny nips, Bastila found her way down to one of Revan's breasts, and took the nipple in her mouth, and began gently sucking on it as she flicked it with her tongue.

Revan then cried out Bastila's name, and leaned on the younger woman for support. A few moments later, the older woman had regained her balance, and just held Bastila close. They stayed there like that, simply enjoying the basic contact. Then, Revan said, "We really should get cleaned up. I'd been thinking of showing you somewhere special."  
Bastila nodded, and said. "Alright"

-=0=-

A few hours later, they stood alone in a garden filled with a variety of flowers. An elaborate fountain stood to their left, and a massive cherry tree in bloom stood tall to their right.

But, Bastila's attention was solely on Revan, as the other woman got down on one knee, and said, "Bastila. I know we've only spent a few months together, mostly as friends. That this may seem like me going really fast.

"But, when I think of my future. There's only one thing that has remained constant in all the time since I've met you. Regardless of what fate I've seen befalling me, the only thing that I can't imagine living without, is you. So, Bastila, will you marry me, despite all my flaws?"  
"Of course!" Bastila said, as she smiled at Revan.

The gray knight grinned, as she placed the ring on Bastila's finger, and said, "I can't tell you how happy those two words have made me."  
"I can tell, since I felt the same way when you asked." Bastila said, kissing Revan softly. "And the bond helps too."

Revan laughed, and said, "You bet it does." as she traced Bastila's jaw with her thumb.

-=0=-

**A/N: Well, here is the promised one shot. I know it's been a while. But when you see that this is about FOUR times the length of a single chapter, I think you can agree that it was a bit justifiable. Especially with how I don't have that much experience writing smut. So, considering those factors I think I did a pretty good job. I think I've written two other smut scenes ever. **

**And, I'm almost certain that my inexperience with depicting the subject shows. I promise I'll get better if I do write more stuff like this. But, I won't promise more of this stuff. I still feel kinda awkward writing it. **

**Then again, I also kinda enjoy it. So, it'll depend on context mostly. Anyways, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. And, if you did please review. Or if you have any advice on how to better do smut, let me know. I could probably use it. :-P**


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